EUROPE EUROPEAN UNION The European Union is reportedly trying to expand its Libyan concentration camp model to the rest of Africa, but for some reason the African Union is resisting. The EU has an agreement with the Libyan government, such as it is, that allows it to return migrants from Libya, when picked up in … Continue reading Europe/Americas update: February 23-24 2019

ASIA AFGHANISTAN Afghan peace talks may be approaching a breakthrough, but it's come at a high cost. The United Nations says that 2018 was the deadliest year for civilians in at least the last decade, with 3804 killed: In a report released Sunday, the United Nations attributed almost two-thirds of civilian casualties — 63 percent … Continue reading Asia/Africa update: February 23-24 2019

SYRIA According to Syrian media, an ISIS-laid landmine killed at least 20 farm workers when their van ran over it in Hama province on Sunday morning. This was not a conscious ISIS attack--the mine was left over from earlier in the Syrian war when ISIS controlled part of the province. Mines and other leftover explosive … Continue reading Middle East update: February 23-24 2019

ASIA PAKISTANThe Financial Action Task Force warned Pakistan on Friday that if it doesn't clean up its links to extremist groups by May it will likely land itself on the FATF's blacklist. Pakistan is currently on the group's "gray" list, which makes it harder for Islamabad to access international funds, but getting bumped to the … Continue reading World update: February 22 2019

SYRIA The Syrian Democratic Forces on Friday completed another evacuation of civilians from Baghouz. Some 30 trucks carried mostly women and children out of the town, the second such caravan this week. The SDF says it's hoping to completely empty the town of civilians by Saturday, at which point the ISIS fighters remaining inside may decide … Continue reading Middle East update: February 22 2019

ASIA KAZAKHSTAN Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev ordered his entire cabinet to resign on Thursday, citing its failure to improve and diversify the Kazakh economy. He subsequently appointed Askar Mamin to replace now-former Prime Minister Bakhytzhan Sagintayev. There is growing discontent within Kazakhstan about the country's economic struggles and a lack of job creation. INDIA The … Continue reading World update: February 21 2019

SYRIA There were several bombings across northern Syria on Thursday, likely perpetrated by at least a couple of different parties. At least two civilians were killed in a car bombing in Afrin and four Turkish proxy fighters in a bombing in Jarabulus. It wouldn't be a big stretch to suggest the YPG was responsible for … Continue reading Middle East update: February 21 2019

We're having a snow day here and the news seems a little slow today anyway (or maybe my brain just isn't working very well). So today's update will be a little shorter than usual. MIDDLE EAST SYRIA Increasingly it looks like ISIS's remaining fighters in Baghouz are down to their last few days or even hours. The convoy sent into town by the Syrian Democratic Forces on Tuesday to evacuate the area's remaining civilian population finally left on Wednesday, with a number … Continue reading World update: February 20 2019

ASIA AFGHANISTAN Six civilians were killed by a roadside bomb in Laghman province on Tuesday. No group has claimed responsibility but the Taliban are likely culprits given the location. At LobeLog, journalist Alia Ahmed lays out a path forward for Afghanistan as peace talks continue between the US and the Taliban: In this phase, the … Continue reading World update: February 19 2019

SYRIA The Syrian Democratic Forces, with US air support, are making what appears to be their final push to take ISIS's last Syrian enclave. Earlier in the day they sent trucks into the town of Baghouz, intending to evacuate the last remaining civilians there before the final assault. But according to Reuters, at least, those … Continue reading Middle East update: February 19 2019